Notes from The New CWS grand-opening win
Team notes
• UK scored 40 points, making this the 19th consecutive season in which the Wildcats have scored at least 38 points in a single game (UK had the fourth-longest active streak amongst SEC teams heading into this season)
• UK has scored at least 40 points in consecutive season openers for the first time since 1948-1949
• UK amassed 435 yards of total offense, the third consecutive season opener in which the Wildcats had at least 400 yards of total offense. This is the first time that UK has has at least 400 yards of total offense in three consecutive season openers since 1997-2000.
• UK has won consecutive season openers for the first time since 2007-2011
• UK forced four turnovers, the first time since at least 1985 that the Wildcats have forced at least four turnovers in consecutive season openers
• UK rushed for 178 yards, their third consecutive season opener rushing for at least 175 yards. This is the first time that UK has had at least 175 rushing yards in three consecutive season openers since 1993-1995.
• Stanley “Boom” Williams had a 75-yard run, giving Kentucky a running play of at least 70 yards in 6 of the last 7 seasons
• UK defeated a non-conference opponent while allowing at least 33 points for the first time since 2007 vs. Louisville (34)
• UK has had consecutive season openers with 73 combined points scored between both teams. The last time there was at least 73 combined points scored in consecutive season openers for UK was 1998-2000.
• UK had a time of possession of 22:55, their lowest time of possession in a victory since 2010 vs. Charleston Southern (20:00)
• UK allowed 479 yards of total offense to ULL, the most total offense allowed by UK to a non-conference opponent in a win since the 2007 Music City Bowl vs. Florida State (480)
• UK allowed 247 rushing yards to ULL, the most rushing yards allowed by UK to a non-conference opponent in a win since 2007 vs. Kent State (324)
Patrick Towles
• Passed for 257 yards, giving him 3,208 passing yards for his career, becoming the 12th quarterback in school history to surpass 3,000 career passing yards. Towles is now 11th on the career passing yards list, needing 172 yards to tie Dusty Bonner for 10th place on the list.
• Has passed for at least 250 yards in consecutive season openers, the first UK quarterback to do so since Tim Couch (1997-1998)
• Had three passing touchdowns, the most passing touchdowns by a UK quarterback in a season opener since Andre’ Woodson vs. Eastern Kentucky in 2007 (3)
• Patrick Towles is the seventh quarterback in school history to reach 3,000 career passing yards prior to his senior season (Dusty Bonner, Tim Couch, Jared Lorenzen, Bill Ransdell, Maxwell Smith, Andre’ Woodson)
Boom Williams
• Rushed for 135 yards, the most rushing yards by a UK player in a season opener since Rafael Little vs. Eastern Kentucky in 2007 (135)
• Rushed for 126 yards against Louisville in last season’s regular season finale, making him the first UK player in the modern era (since 1946) to rush for at least 125 yards in a regular season finale and the season opener of the next season
• He is the first UK player to rush for at least 125 yards in consecutive games since Artose Pinner in 2002 (143 vs. LSU, 224 vs. Vanderbilt)
• Had a 75-yard run, the 11th-longest run by a Kentucky player at Commonwealth Stadium
Garrett Johnson
• Had 85 receiving yards, the most by a Kentucky player in a season opener since Randall Cobb vs. Miami (Ohio) in 2009 (96)
Ryan Timmons
• With 36 receiving yards against ULL, now has 910 receiving yards for his career. He needs 90 receiving yards to become the 25th player in school history to reach 1,000 career receiving yards.
Jojo Kemp
• With 34 rushing yards against ULL, now has 839 rushing yards for his career. He needs 161 rushing yards to become the 34th player in school history to reach 1,000 career rushing yards.
